Fatima fainted while at work and was rushed to the hospital. She wakes up in the hospital and could not figure out what was happening. After calming her down, the doctor told her that she fainted at work due to high blood pressure which is also known as hypertension. Fatima is confused. She was not sick. She doesn’t recall having any symptoms. So, how could she just have slumped… just like that?

Hello everyone!!!

We are going to be discussing about hypertension, the risk involved, symptoms and management.  High blood pressure is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease. The dangerous aspects of hypertension is that you may not know that you have it. In fact, almost one-third of people who have high blood pressure don’t even know it. Most of the time there are no obvious symptoms. The only way to know if your blood pressure is high is through regular checkups. This is particularly important if you have a close relative who has high blood pressure (which could be your parents, siblings, or any member of your family) if you are obese or diabetic or do not practice healthy living.

Do you know that high blood pressure is a silent killer?      

Certain physical traits and lifestyle choices can put you at a greater risk for high blood pressure. Lifestyle choices like smoking, taking alcohol, poor diet, drug abuse, lack of exercise, stress.

When left untreated, the damage that high blood pressure does to your circulatory system is significant. It may contribute to heart attack, stroke, and other health threats.

Do you know the symptoms you should look out for?

If your blood pressure is extremely high, there may be some certain symptoms to look out for, like severe headache, vision problems, chest pain, irregular heartbeat, difficulty breathing, pounding in your chest, neck or ears and so on. If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor immediately. You could be having hypertension crisis that could lead to a heart attack or stroke. However, more often than not, high blood pressure doesn’t give any sign or symptom. The first sign could be a sudden stroke. This is why it is called the “silent killer.”

How can we properly measure blood pressure at home?

We all know about this pandemic situation and we are trying to reduce our visit to hospitals and health centers, this might limit check-ups or going for blood pressure monitoring. But, there is a good news. You can check and monitor your blood pressure whiles staying at home. Yes, All you need to do to get a blood pressure monitor which is available here and very cost effective. Now lets talk about the numbers and what they mean.

When you want to check your blood pressure using the device. You need to:

  • Rest for about 10 minutes.
  • Sit in an upright position
  • Make sure your arms are bare and hand measurement rests on a table
  • Wrap cuff around your arm as directed on BP device. If you can not wrap the cuff by yourself you could get someone to do that for you.
  • Note your reading, allow 3-5 minutes and repeat. You can repeat two or three times and get the average.
  • Please, make sure you do not talk , laugh or eat throughout the process. Ideally you shouldn’t measure your BP less than 30 minutes after meal or exercise

You should not wait for the numbers to get so high. If you notice any increase in your blood pressure please consult your doctor but only regular checking would make you know. That is why you should always monitor and check your blood pressure even when you have no symptoms like they say “Prevention is better than cure”.

How you can prevent high blood pressure?

Eat a Healthy Diet


Choose healthy meal and snack options to help you avoid high blood pressure and its complications. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.Talk with your health care team about eating a variety of foods rich in potassium, fiber, and protein and lower in salt (sodium) and saturated fat. For many people, making these healthy changes can help keep blood pressure normal and protect against heart disease and stroke.

Be Physically Active

A couple jogging through a park.

Having overweight or obesity increases your risk for high blood pressure. Physical activity can help keep you at a healthy weight and normalize your blood pressure. Children and adolescents should get 1 hour of physical activity every day while adults need at least 30 minutes 5 days a week. Adults may use step counters to measure their daily exercise. They should do about 10,000 steps daily (please discuss with your pharmacist or other healthcare professional).

Adopting Healthy Habits; Avoid Alcohol And Smoking

Alcohol can have a serious long-term effect on your blood pressure. Heavy drinking has been discovered to increase the risk of developing hypertension. Smoking raises your blood pressure and puts you at higher risk for heart attack and stroke. If you do not smoke, do not start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease.

Lastly, drop a comment, share your experience and let’s know what you think! If you have any questions or concerns about your health or need any medications or even a Blood Pressure Monitor, please contact us via phone or Whatsapp with the following numbers:

08094289951 Sola

08094289947 Josephine

08094289944 Gbenga

You can also find products that can help: https://victorydrugs.com.ng/product-category/devices/blood-pressure-monitor/

http://www.victorydrugs.com.ng

http://www.victoryvaccineclinic.com

Do not forget to protect yourself when you go out. Wear a nose mask properly, maintain social distancing and maintain proper hygiene when you get home. Properly dispose face masks, wash your clothes, wash or sanitize your hands and possibly take a bath before you come in contact with anyone. This will help you and your household greatly if you were in contact with an infected person.  Also make sure you strengthen your immune system with immune boosters like Nature’s Field Vitamin C, Immunace and Reload Immunity

Stay safe!!!